Bethesda and Microsoft
(Image credit: Bethesda Game Studios)
Microsoft moved fast after the final clearance was given to their purchase of ZeniMax and Bethesda by the EU, see the EU press release announcing its decision. Only a few days later, both Microsoft and Bethesda made announcements about the deal with promises of more news to come. The first major revelation included 20 Bethesda classic games on the Xbox Game Pass such as Doom, Wolfenstein: Young Blood, and Skyrim. Not all of the games are available on all platforms and The Load Screen covers those titles along with other issues that arise when playing some of the classics.
With such a quick turnaround from official sanctioning to the announcements, it shows that Microsoft and Bethesda had this plan in the works for a while. Setting up servers and licensing takes time especially for the three delivery methods used by Xbox Game Pass. So it was a surprise that Microsoft was able to make 20 games available on the service. Even more shocking is that 16 of those titles are playable on Xbox consoles, Windows PC, and mobile platforms.
Four of the titles are only available for specific versions of the Xbox Game Pass. Fallout New Vegas is the most limited since it is only available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. While the Elder Scrolls titles of Morrowind and Oblivion are playable on Windows PC and consoles. The final outlier is The Elder Scrolls Online which is accessible on consoles or mobile platforms. The access for any game across platforms may change as the partnership between Bethesda and Microsoft strengthens. The full playable list is on the Bethesda games now on Xbox Game Pass Xbox Wire article.
Not all parts of every game will be available for the Xbox Game Pass, and some DLCs will have to be purchased separately. However, other non-DLC add-ons are available, such as some player-made mods in Fallout 4, and Skyrim. Any that require specific DLCs and other additional mods are either not available or will need the extra conditions before working. At least they are not similar to Elder Scrolls Online or Fallout 76, both require the extra step of registering a separate account with an email or transferring an existing account before the game is playable.
Finally, titles on the PC may require special adjusting for higher resolution monitors, mostly those over 1080p or higher refresh rates. Fallout 4 was one of those titles that suffered from overlay issues in 4k, but it is possible to play in 1080p without requiring messing with game files or downloading mods. While Morrowind was able to scale to a bigger screen it did not look any better. In the future, some titles may get graphics upgrades, but currently, the games are not remastered for the PC. So, no one should expect Doom to finally give the player the ability to look up or down.
The Xbox Game Pass now has a good selection of Bethesda classic and modern titles available for pass holders. This is only the beginning of Bethesda games merging onto the Xbox Game Pass. Some new Bethesda titles will likely debut there while offered at full cost on other platforms such as PlayStation 4 and 5. Existing titles will not disappear from other systems but expect Microsoft services to get every advantage from now on.
